Rosewood Chronicles
by JulieB17
Summary: Not actually a Sherlock Fanfic but I needed a place to put it for now. Please R&R, so maybe I could be the next E. L. James like I'm trying to be!


Rosewood Chronicles

Chapter 1

"Come along miss. If we miss our stop your Aunt will be worried sick." I hear as I'm shaken awake by my servant, Millie. I yawn, nodding as we hurry off the train with my luggage. Stepping onto the platform, I'm surprised to see soldiers surrounding outer fences. Seeing a few men standing to the side, I decide to ask one of them how to reach my aunt's mansion. "Excuse me, but is there any way-" I pause a bit annoyed as he walks by as if he didn't see me, so I turn after him.

"Is there any way I can reach my aunt's house?" He just glares at me glancing at Millie as if to ask what it is I'm doing. "Sorry sir, she doesn't know what's going on. Miss this gentlemen has secrets to uphold." I scowl at that, "I understand, but that doesn't mean he has to be so haughty to a woman of my stature!" He grins, giving a boisterous laugh, "Well Miss, let me congratulate you on being the only person to call me out on my behavior," He shakes my hand.

"Thank you, but I still need a name from such an interesting man." He nods saluting me, "Captain William Thaxton, you?" "Madeline Rosewood, Captain." I say curtsying slightly. "Ah yes, Madam Eveline's niece, I can escort you to your new home now Miss." I nod smiling politely as he leads me to a carriage and tells the driver where to go.

"Forgive me for before Miss," he starts before I interrupt him with, "Call me Madeline." He nods, "I was only keeping up appearances in front of my men." I nod saying, "Can't show weakness, lest they start to worry." I stare out the window, finishing the conversation. Captain Thaxton turns to Millie, "Is she all right? She seems a bit dispirited."

Millie shrugs saying, "She's homesick sir, her parents died when she was barely a lass, no one found their wills and now she's moving in with her aunt." He nods looking at me as we arrive. As the carriage pulls up to the mansion we step out when suddenly my Aunt starts shrieking scolds at me. "Auntie, will you please be quiet, you're embarrassing me!" I sigh, blushing when Captain Thaxton laughs.

"Oh, William dear, how are you!" She smiles brightly hugging him tightly. "Fine Madam Eveline, you have a wonderful home and a lovely niece." She giggles shrilly as I roll my eyes grabbing my bag and hurrying inside with Millie as my aunt invites Captain Thaxton inside. "And please do stay for dinner William! We'd love to have you."

As soon as I'm finished unpacking, I hang up a photo of my parents right above my bed. Millie clears her throat scurrying out as I turn to see Captain Thaxton in the doorway. "I was wondering if you'd join me for a walk before dinner?" he asks turning the hat in his handsnervously, making me smile lightly.

I smile lightly at how nervous Captain Thaxton is about asking me to take a pre-dinning walk with him and politely say, "Might as well since my aunt takes forever with dinner choices." As soon as we've walked the entire mansion, I walk briskly over to the garden with Captain Thaxton at my heels. As soon as I crouch and start moving rocks around he frowns and asks, "What are you doing?"

I smile slyly, "An old friend of mine who used to live around here, Damien, showed me how we could tell each other when we were or weren't here. If the rocks are the same by tomorrow afternoon, he's gone on a trip whereas if the rocks are scattered in a random way he's here and we're to meet at our hide out." Captain Thaxton chuckles at the childish code, "Not too bad, I might just have to use a variation of that with my men." I smile nodding as I stand, "Go right ahead, it should work perfectly. We link arms walking back into the mansion and over to the dining room.

"And just what are you doing up so late?" I smile turning to see William climbing over the rooftop to sit next to me. "Thinking about my parents, wondering where Damien is, mostly just stargazing." He smiles at that glancing up at the sky before looking at me and asking, "I see...hoping to be an astronomer?"

I shake my head lying back down "Just like how amazing the sight of it is...in fact lay down I want to show you some things." I smile as he lies next to me and I point out a few constellations. "Aren't they beautiful?" I ask not noticing as he sits up and leans in until we're nose to nose.

"Not as beautiful as you." With that said I sit up just enough to kiss him, draping my arms around his neck as he puts his around my back. "Maddi?" I gasp pulling away to see who else, but Damien standing and staring at me with hurt eyes.

"Damien! You're here! What on earth is the matt-" I stand about to ask why he looks so sad when my ankle twists, having been caught on the ledge and I cry out in pain as I fall off the roof and into a rose bush, just under my Aunt's room. Weeks later I've finally been allowed out of my room by my aunt and the first thing I do is go to Damien's, hoping to talk to him about that night. Unfortunately his maid tells me he's gone out for the morning so I head back over to my Aunt's mansion, hoping to sit in the garden.

William smiles standing up as I arrive at the bench taking off his hat and nodding at me, "Madeline, I'm glad to see your back on your feet." I nod sitting down with him,"William, I'm glad to say so am I. My room is dreadfully boring what with my aunt not allowing you to visit me through the entirety of the time." He nods laughing softly and kissing my cheek,"Yes, that is a bit unfortunate but at least she never lost trust in me what with you getting injured in the first place."

I frown turning to William and scolding him for blaming himself about my accident, "William, don't say that, it wasn't your fault, it was my own fault for not looking where my feet where before trying to walk, especially what with us being on the roof." "Your friend also should have alerted us of his presence a bit earlier as well." William says scowling at the memory of what led up to my injury. "William really I'm fine, my ankle has healed well and I'm still able to walk."

He sighs nodding as he stands, starting to pace, "I know Madeline but what if you had been hurt worse than just a sprained ankle? What if the doctor hadn't gotten here in time? I worry about you dear one...in fact I think I may be falling in love with you." I gasp covering my heart as my eyes widen, "Oh William...I love you as well." He smiles taking me into his arms and hugging me close, spinning me around as we both laugh ecstatically.

For months, William continued to court me, even after my aunt had given us her blessing just a week after we confessed our love to each other. Before I knew it, it was the end of Summer and I was planning a wedding for later that year with Auntie and Millie. "Oh you'll look lovely in that Miss Maddie!" Millie says, hand over her heart as she looks at my wedding dress drawing, an idea I had during my childhood.

"Isn't it lovely Millie? Do you think he'll like it Auntie?" I ask turning to my Aunt frowning as I see her crying silently, kneeling by her and taking her hand. "Why Auntie whatever is the matter? Why on earth are you crying?" She smiles through her tears, sniffling and saying, "I'm fine, dear one, just so incredibly happy you're getting married!"

I laugh as tears fill my own eyes and I hug her close. "I'm happy as well Auntie, I finally found my one true love who I love him with all my heart and I know that he loves me!" "Indeed I do...with all my heart," All three planners all gasp scrambling for the papers of drawings, ideas, and plans of that sort in piles as I jump up and push him out of the room and down the hallway.

"I told you not to come in while we're planning! You'll ruin the surprise and give us bad luck if you see the dress even as a drawing!" I smile at his sad look, kissing it away. "I know you can't wait for our wedding, neither can I." He smiles at that slowly kissing back, "I'm glad I'm still courting you, if I wasn't we'd have almost nothing to do together and that would be horrible!"

-2 Years Later-

I sigh finally sitting down, having been on my feet the entire day, not just cleaning the house and shopping for the next week, but having just turned in my latest book to be published. Yes, once I was married, I thought I should try my hand at writing, and William supported and helped me the whole way.

'Oh William...when will you be home?' I think to myself as I sit by the window of our house, which he had built himself along with the help of some of his fellow soldiers. Damien hadn't been there to help, he'd seemed to disappear after my ankle incident, and he didn't show up at my wedding even though I sent at least three letters about it. I smile sighing and thinking of William's and my Honeymoon. How gentle he was when I told him of my being a virgin.

'"Do not worry my lovely new bride...I'll be gentle as possible and then some." And he was, though I was still a little trepidatious about it all. He made me lose myself in his lips and touches before we made love for the first time in our relationship.'

"Well now...I hope I'm not interrupting anything important." William smirks down at me and I blush hurrying to straighten my dress. "N-No...I mean yes it's important but you're not really 'interrupting', just thinking of our wedding night is all."

I sigh, wiping my eyes and sniffling as I sit on the bed alone, whimpering as I hear the carriage move away from the house, having been through the worst thing possible for me go through. Let me go back a bit earlier that evening and explain my tears. William and I had just sat down to dinner when there was a knock at the door.

Standing to answer it, I frowned when the courier handed me the one letter that could possibly kill not just me, but William as well. "No, please no, not this, not now," I sob, falling to my knees as William walks up. "Madeline, my love, what is it?" he frowns, reading over the letter and grimacing as he sees he's being called to fight in the war, "I'm sorry my love...I had hoped that just fighting once would suffice for them but if I must, I must. I hope you understand."

I sob as he walks up to our room to pack most of his belongings needed to go to war. Millie frowns, hurrying over to me and hugging me close, "Oh Miss Maddi, I'm so sorry you have to go through this. My brother fought in the war for a while, and he came home perfectly fine, so no need to worry when we're both sure Mr. William will come home just the same." I cough lightly, nodding and heading up to my room as soon as William is done packing, before he can say goodbye to me, running up to our room and sobbing my heart half to failing.

I do not return downstairs for dinner that night, or breakfast the next morning, shutting myself away from the world and Millie, until I can be reunited with the man I love. Millie does not try to make me talk about it, simply leaving my meals at my door and retreating to her rooms. I read every single letter sent from my William but after a while he just stops writing, no warning or apology.

Then, the worst possible thing happens to me. The one person I don't want to see the most calls on me the day William is to return home and I dread two soldiers will come and tell me he's dead. Damien, my ex-childhood friend, was sitting right at my windowsill as I wake up that morning.


End file.
